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Interventizio Posted 12 years ago
Grammar

Just because...doesn't mean

HI
"Just because we are old IT DOESN'T MEAN that we can't have a night out."
I thought this to be correct, but I think Google proved me wrong: too few results with that "IT" included. "Just because we are old" appears to be the subject here, which makes "it" superfluous. Can you confirm that? It sounds a little weird to me, but whatever.
  

Top answer

Standard English currently requires the 'it'. But if everybody stops using 'it', eventually the new form will be considered standard. But not yet!

— Clive

  • Standard English currently requires the 'it'.
  • But if everybody stops using 'it', eventually the new form will be considered standard.
  • But not yet!
  • Clive
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17 Answers
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Standard English currently requires the 'it'.
But if everybody stops using 'it', eventually the new form will be considered standard.

But not yet!

Clive
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CliveStandard English currently requires the 'it'. But if most people everybody stops using 'it', eventually the new form will be considered standard.But not yet!Clive
It's odd, but I almost never add the 'it' - and I've never been a trend-setter when it comes to grammatical points.
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PhilipIt's odd, but I almost never add the 'it' - and I've never been a trend-setter when it comes to grammatical points.
I'm with you - on both points.
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I agree that the inclusion of "it" is no improvement. I think that "Just because we are old" is indeed treated as the subject of the verb.
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Interventiziowhich makes "it" superfluous.
Agree. I never say it with "it".

CJ
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Gee, am I the only one who says it the standard way? Emotion: stick out tongue
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CliveGee, am I the only one who says it the standard way?
Doubtful. There are, after all, billions of people on this planet, and only an infinitesimal fraction have weighed in here.
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I don't know if it's "standard," but it's certainly less common. Emotion: stick out tongue

Also:

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Gee, am I the only one who says it the standard way?

I was being ironic.
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I just don't see a subordinate clause being used as subject, not even in Italian, my native language. But maybe there are other examples I can't think of now.
Anyway, if the example without "it" is of relatively common use, it's fine by me.
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